[0001] The present invention refers to a solar wall, i.e. to a wall apt for the realization
of civil and industrial buildings and capable of converting the solar energy that
is incident on it, into heat stored in a fluid that flows inside conduits made in
the wall itself.
[0002] What is also intended as being comprised by the present invention are modular panels
that can be placed adjacent to one another so as to give raise to solar walls in civil
and industrial buildings in which there are present conduits within which there can
be made to flow a fluid that is heated by the solar radiations incident on the modular
panels themselves.
[0003] More particularly, by the term "solar wall" is intended a slab shaped element which,
when installed, is substantially subject to static stresses acting in the vertical
direction or in a direction which differs slightly therefrom, whereas static stresses
acting in the horizontal direction are practically non-existent, which stresses would
exist in other slab shaped elements which in a civil and industrial building form
floors, ceilings, roofs and the like.
[0004] The present invention further refers to a process for manufacturing solar walls and
hence also to modular panels for the solar walls forming the object of the present
invention.
[0005] Known solar walls exist, which are able to transform the solar energy incident on
them into heat stored in a fluid flowing through the conduits made in them but said-solar
walls present a low efficiency in the energy transformation, and moreover they prove
to be rather weighty and hence difficult to install, and they also involve very complex
constructions, which are therefore costly.
[0006] Moreover, even the "known" manufacturing processes for solar walls result as being
very complex, and for this reason they involve high production costs, which increase
the cost for the known solar walls.
[0007] One aim of the present invention is to provide a solar wall for civil and/or industrial
buildings which does not present the drawbacks of the known solar walls, i.e. which
presents a high output of energy transformation, and which is lightweight and also
low costing.
[0008] Another aim of the present invention is to provide a process for manufacturing solar
walls according to the present invention which process proves to be very simple so
as not to cause high costs for the products obtained by this process.
[0009] What forms an object of the present invention is a solar wall characterized by the
fact of comprising a sheet of rigid material, a layer of foam material fixed to the
sheet of rigid material, a solar absorber embedded in correspondence of the side of
the foam material facing the side contacting the sheet of rigid material, a covering
sheet for the side of the layer of foam material, means for connecting the covering
sheet to the remaining part of the solar wall, and means for connecting said solar
wall to a supporting framework.
[0010] A further object of the present invention is a process for manufacturing solar walls,
characterized by the fact of comprising the phases of:
- doubling at a constant distance from one another a sheet of rigid material, preferably
metallic, and a solar absorber under the form of an elastomeric or plastic plate in
which are present through-conduits;
- pouring expansible material in the space comprised between said sheet and said absorber;
and
- causing to expand the expansible material poured in during the previous phase.
[0011] The present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description
given solely by way of non-limiting example with reference to the FIGURES of the attached
drawing, wherein:
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a solar wall according to the invention;
FIG. 2 shows in cross section an enlarged view of a solar wall according to the invention;
FIG. 3 shows a perspective view - with parts removed for better showing the structure
- of a solar wall according to the invention and according to a variation of the realization;
FIG. 4 shows in perspective view a detail of a solar wall according to the present
invention.
[0012] In the more general solution idea of providing a solar wall according to the present
invention the solar wall comprises a laminate formed by a sheet of rigid material
for example of metallic material, to one face of which is doubled and joined in a
stable way a layer of foam material embedding in correspondence of its one side that
is not stably connected to the sheet of rigid material, a solar absorber of the type
comprising a slab of elastomeric or plastic material wherein are present a plurality
of through-conduits that are parallel to each other and parallel to one side of the
slab itself, and two collecting conduits fixed one at each side perpendicular to the
through-conduits from which they debouch. Moreover, still according to the general
solution idea of a solar wall according to the present invention there is foreseen
a covering sheet for the face of the layer of foam material in which the solar absorber
is incorporated.
[0013] In FIGURES 1 and 2 there is shown a particular form of realization of a solar panel
according to the present invention.
[0014] As can be seen in FIGURES 1 and 2 the solar wall 1 comprises, starting from the face
2 of the same, which is intended for being turned towards the inside of the building
incorporating the wall, a sheet 3 of rigid material, preferably of metallic material,
which therefore is practically inextensible under the effects of tensional stresses
which present embossings 4 having a dovetailed shape.
[0015] To the sheet 3 of rigid material there is doubled in such a way as to result stably
joined, a layer 5 of foam material, preferably of polyurethane foam. However also
other foam materials can be used for forming the layer 5.
[0016] In correspondence of the lateral borders 6 and 6' of the foam material layer 5 there
are present rigid material profiles, preferably of metallic material.
[0017] More particularly, in correspondence of border 6 there is present a U-shaped profile
7 which presents at the ends of its legs 8 and 9, where the leg 8 has a width that
is greater to that of the leg 9, cantilevered fins lo and 11, respectively, which
are parallel to the base 12 of the U-shaped profile 7 and which are turned up in such
a way as not to occupy the U-shaped groove of the profile 7.
[0018] Moreover, the fin lo has a greater width than the fin 11, and said fin lo is in direct
contact with the rigid material sheet 3 in correspondence of the border of said sheet
3.
[0019] Always in correspondence of the border 6 there is present another U-shaped profile
13 connected through its base 14 to the base 12 of the profile 7.
[0020] In correspondence of the border 6' there are present
[0021] a pair of profiles 15 and 16, where the profile 16 is identical to the profile 13,
while the profile 15 which is equal to profile 7, is oriented in the same way as the
latter, but it is in contact with the sheet 3 through both of its fins 17 and 18 which
correspond respectively to the fins lo and 11 and for which the sheet 3 of rigid material
presents in correspondence of its edge near the border 6' a step 19 that re-enters
into the wall itself.
[0022] In correspondence of the face 2o of the foam material layer.5 there is embedded a
solar absorber 21 consisting of a slab of elastomeric or plastic material in which
there are present a plurality of conduits 22 extending therethrough and debouching
into collecting conduits 23 (see FIG. 4) inside of which there is made to pass a fluid
which is heated by the solar energy incident on the solar wall 1. Moreover, in the
elastomeric or plastic material slab of the solar absorber 21 there are embedded a
plurality of wires or small cords (not shown) which confer a non-extensibility to
the slab itself when it is subjected to tensional stresses.
[0023] In contact with the face of the solar absorber which results visible on the face
2o of the foam material layer 5 and which is in contact with the face 2o of layer
5 that is not occupied by the solar absorber 21, there is present a covering sheet
24 of a rigid metallic material that is fixed by its own borders, parallel to the
axis of the conduits 22 of the solar absorber 21, to the U-shaped profiles 13 and
16 with known means such as for example nuts, bolts, welding and the like.
[0024] Moreover, the solar wall 1 is equipped with metallic bodies (not shown) having a
dovetailed shape which are apt for fitting in the dovetailed grooves formed by the
embossings 4 and therefore made in the sheet 3. of rigid material for forming the
connection of the solar wall 1 and with a supporting framework that is represented
solely by way of non-limiting example, in FIG. 1 by two beams 25.
[0025] In FIG. 3 there is represented in a perspective view and with parts partially removed
for pointing out the structure a solar wall according to a variation of the invention.
[0026] As can be seen in FIG. 3 the solar wall shown in it differs from that shown in FIG.
2 in that the covering sheet is detached from the face of the solar absorber so as
to realize an interspace, and in that there are foreseen means for connecting the
said covering sheets spaced apart from the solar absorber.
[0027] In fact, as can be seen in FIG. 3 the solar wall comprises a sheet of rigid material
26, preferably of metallic material that presents an embossing 27 having a dovetailed
shape for connecting said solar wall to a supporting framework. To the sheet 26 there
is doubled and stably connected a layer 28 of foam material, and preferably of a polyurethane
foam which in correspondence of its face 29 embeds a solar absorber under the form
of a slab 3o of elastomeric or plastic material provided with a plurality of conduits
31 extending therethrough and debouching into collecting conduits 32 which are stably
fixed to the two sides of the slab 3o that are perpendicular to said conduits 31.
[0028] On the edges of the solar wall and parallel to the conduits 31 there are present
two profiles 33 and 34 that are identical to the profiles 7, 13 and 15, 16 which are
adopted and described for the form of realization represented in FIG. 2.
[0029] The profiles 34,present on the two sides that are parallel to each other in the solar
wall, are connected to one another by a pair of rigid material profiles 35, one for
each side perpendicular to the conduits 31 of the solar absorber, to which are connected
by means known per se spacers 36 on which it rests and to which is connected by known
means a slab 37 of a material transparent to light which in not being in contact with
the face 29 of the polyurethane layer 28 gives raise to an interspace 38.
[0030] As said previously, the through-conduits 31 of the absorber debouch into the collecting
conduits 38 fixed to those sides of the absorber that are perpendicular to said through-conduits
31. At both the ends of each absorber there are present means for connecting the said
absorbers with pipe connectors fixed to the sheet 26 of rigid material faced to the
inside of the building when the solar wall is in an operating condition, and in FIG.
4 there is represented a form of realization of said connecting means.
[0031] As can be seen in FIG. 4, to each end of each collecting conduit 23 there is fixed
in a watertight manner a curved pipe connector 39 one of its ends 4o is inserted in
a watertight manner into the cavity of conduit 23, and the other of its ends 41 after
having passed through a hole 42 made in the sheet 3 faced towards the inside of the
building, and projecting from sheet 3 is connected to conduits (not shown) that connect
the solar wall to the circuit of the plant for exploiting the solar energy of which
the solar wall forms a component part. In this manner the curved pipe connectors 39
also carry out an action of mechanically mounting the absorber to the various component
parts of the solar wall.
[0032] For the realization of the solar wall according to the invention there is foreseen
the following process which also forms an object of the present invention.
[0033] A sheet of rigid material, preferably of metallic material, presenting dovetailed
embossings described with reference to FIGURES 2 and 3 and provided on the borders
of the sides parallel to said embossings with metallic profiles, is coupled with a
solar absorber comprising a slab of elastomeric or plastic material in which there
are present conduits extending therethrough in such a way that between them an interspace
is formed. Into this interspace there is poured foamable material and preferably foamable
polyurethane, and the expansion of said material is carried out, during which phase
a bonding between the foam material that assumes the form of a layer, the solar absorber
and the previously mentioned sheet of rigid material takes place.
[0034] From the preceding description it is easy to comprehend how, with a solar wall according
to the invention and with the manufacturing process for solar walls according to the
invention it is possible to achieve the proposed aims.
[0035] In fact, with a solar wall according to the present invention there is obtained a
high output in the transformation of the solar energy into heat which is stored by
the fluid passing into the solar absorber, since the layer of foam material in which
the solar absorber is embedded, covers the entire surface of the latter that is not
turned towards the solar radiations incident, thus impeding any heat losses on the
part of the fluid passing into the solar absorber.
[0036] Moreover, the solar wall according to the present invention results as being extremely
lightweight, seeing that it is constituted substantially by the same foam material
which constitutes the thermal insulation of the solar absorber, while the sheet of
rigid metallic material that has the function of conferring rigidity to the solar
wall, can be of very small thickness and hence it adds only a little to the weight
of the solar wall itself.
[0037] To end with,the cost of a solar wall according to the invention results as being
very low since said solar wall is formed only by the elements necessary for a correct
transformation of the energy to which elements are also given the task of acting as
structural elements of the wall. Moreover, the manufacturing process of the solar
wall is also a very simple one.
[0038] What is more, even if the solar absorber is a slab which is flexible but practically
non-extensible under tensional stresses, and if the sheet of metallic material is
flexible since the thickness is small but even this sheet being non-extensible under
tensional stresses, by coupling one to the other said elements with a layer of foam
material, the formation is obtained of a double layer structure, i.e. a structure
having a considerable rigidity with regard to flexional stresses.
[0039] The obtaining of a structure having a considerable rigidity to flexional stresses
consents for solving the problem of conferring to a solar wall light weight and a
small thickness without any deformation taking place through the effects of the stresses
applied.
[0040] As is known, and as has been previously stated, a solar wall is subject substantially
to stresses lying in its planes having greater dimensions, or in other words, it is
subject to buckling loads that tend to laterally flexing the wall itself, even when
the load applied is just constituted by the weight of the solar wall itself. It results
from this that the achieving of a considerable rigidity in a solar wall according
to the present invention allows to increase, even with a wall of an extremely reduced
thickness and hence light weight, the buckling load applicable to a solar wall.
[0041] Although certain forms of embodiment according to the present invention have been
illustrated and described hereabove, it has to be understood that all possible variations
of the inventive principle that are available to a technician of the field are comprised
within the ambit of the present invention.
1. Solar wall, characterized by the fact of comprising a sheet (3 or 26) of rigid
material, a layer (5 or 28) of foam material fixed to the sheet of rigid material,
a solar absorber (21 or 30) embedded in correspondence of the side of the foam material facing the side contacting
the sheet of rigid material, a covering sheet (24 or 37) for the side of the layer
of foam material,means for connecting the covering sheet to the remaining part of
the-solar wall, and means for connecting said solar wall to a supporting framework.
2. Solar wall, according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the solar absorber
(21 or 30) embedded in correspondence of one face of a layer (5 or 28) of foam material
is a slab of elastomeric or plastbmer- ic material in which are present a plurality
of conduits (22 or 31) extending therethrough which are parallel to each other and
parallel to one side of the slab, there being foreseen two terminal conduits (23 or-32)
into which the former conduits (22 or 31) debouch and conduits (39) which connect
one of the ends of each terminal conduit with the outer surface of the solar wall,
said slab incorporating moreover a plurality of wires and small cords.
3. Solar wall, according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the covering sheet
(24) is a sheet of metallic material directly in contact with the solar absorber (21)
and that the means for connecting said covering sheet to the wall consist of profiles
forming the edge of the solar wall, parallel to the conduits extending therethrough
and of bolts for joining the covering sheet to said profiles.
4. Solar wall, according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the covering sheet
(37) is of a material transparent to light that is spaced apart from the solar absorber
(30), and that the connecting means spaced apart from the covering sheet, comprises two
profiles (33, 34) anchored to the wall in correspondence of the sides of the wall
that are perpendicular to the lay-out of the conduits extending therethrough present
in the absorber, and lengths of U-shaped profiles (35) connected to said profile,
the covering sheet (37) being directly fixed to the U-shaped profile lengths.
5. Solar wall, according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the means for
anchoring the said solar wall to the supporting framework comprises grooves of dovetailed
embossings made in the sheet of rigid material to which the foam material is fixed.
6. Process of manufacturing solar walls, characterized by the fact of comprising the
phases of:-
- doubling at a constant distance from one another a sheet of rigid material, preferably
of metallic material, and a solar absorber under the form of an elastomeric or plastic
plate in which are present conduits extending therethrough;
- pouring expansible material into the space comprised between said sheet and said
absorber; and
- causing to expand the expansible material poured-in during the previous phase.